He was born and bred in Wales, but it’s England he’s opted to play for and now, for the first time, Mat Protheroe has explained why.

The 20-year-old utility back is a prodigious talent as he confirmed with a scintillating solo try for his new club Bristol, against Connacht, last weekend.

And he could yet find himself the subject of an international tug-of-war further down the road.

Even though he has played for England at U18s and U20s, he is not yet tied to the Red Rose, as the RFU designates the second-string Saxons as their capture team, and it’s understood the WRU are monitoring his progress.

Mat Protheroe in action for England U20s against Scotland last year

So, his options remain open, although he insists his sole focus at the present is making his mark at Bristol, who he joined from Gloucester over the summer.

To understand how he ended up in the west country and representing England - even though he had no family or residency qualification - you have to rewind a little.

Protheroe was born in Swansea, grew up in Loughor and played his junior rugby at Waunarlwydd RFC for some eight years, much of the time alongside a certain Keelan Giles.

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“But then a few days after that I had a phonecall off Alan Martinovic, the director of rugby at Hartpury College, in Gloucestershire.

“He asked me to go up and have a chat with him and then come along to a trial. I did that, I went through the trial and he offered me a two-year scholarship.

“It was my last chance really. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I just decided to go and do my best. It proved to be a bit of a life line for me.”

Such was the impression Protheroe made at Hartbury with his will-o’-the-wisp running ability that at the end of his first year he was offered a place at Gloucester’s Academy and called into the England U17s camp.

The fact he had no family or residency qualification wasn’t an issue, as, at age grade level, you are eligible to wear the Red Rose as long as you are at an English club, apart from when it comes to the Junior World Championship.

“I went to one of the camps and really enjoyed it and I kept getting invited back,” he said.

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“I had one or two bits of banter off them, but they were only messing around,” he replies.

Playing at fly-half for England U18s, Protheroe proceeded to deliver a try-scoring Man of the Match display in a 21-5 victory over France up in Doncaster in February 2015.

Then, the following year, he moved up to the U20s, which saw him donning No 10 against the land of his birth at Bristol’s Ashton Gate.

Despite kicking 11 points, it wasn’t to prove a night to remember for him, as a Wales team featuring the likes of Keelan Giles, Rhun Williams, Harrison Keddie, Owen Watkin and Dillon Lewis romped to a 42-16 victory on the way to the Grand Slam.

Protheroe's opposite number Dan Jones dives over for one of Wales' six try against England U20s in Bristol last year (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Protheroe is now out of age-group rugby and not yet tied to either country in representative terms.

Watts made it clear last year that the door would always be open to him should he decide he wants to play for Wales in the future.

I understand the WRU have watched him play in pre-season and with the A team being reintroduced, you wouldn’t rule out an attempt to bring him into the fold at some point.

So how would he react to such an approach?

I asked the question a couple of times in a couple of different ways, only to be met with a very diplomatic response.

“It’s every player’s ambition to play international rugby, but I am just concentrating on Bristol at the minute and not really thinking about it,” he said.